SECTOR 4 and could have instituted a hearing process, but she would rather talk to the individual than go through that process.” With regards to equal opportunity in terms of ethnicity, “there is a widespread perception, right or wrong, that opportunities are skewed to people of a particular ethnicity, particularly in the public media. If you ask anyone off the cuff for their perception, people think most prominent positions in the media and in other jobs are held by those from the west (of Uganda).” “Some people won’t bother to apply because they think (they) won’t be considered because of their ethnicity.” Disputing this notion, one panellist noted that New Vision is an equal opportunity employer, which also conducts regional recruitment for more extensive coverage. Another added that UBC cannot be biased to a certain group because it conducts broadcasts in 27 different languages, and therefore requires a diverse staff complement. One panellist argued that, “There is a general perception issue that needs to be located beyond the media. We should not downplay the perception that certain media houses favour certain ethnic groups at the expense of the others. There is a narrative that is building up and creating potential for future conflicts, and we have to ask the question: How do we mirror our society?” “There is a deeper question of inclusion when it comes to the issue of ethnicity.” At radio stations where broadcasts are done in a certain vernacular language, “recruitment would depend on (the) catchment area of that media establishment, where it’s located, etc., and you might not employ someone from a different group because of the language requirement.” In terms of age, while there is no discrimination that takes place on this basis, most employees – particularly on radio – are young. One panellist shared the view that, “Religion isn’t a big factor when it comes to employment in the media. It might also depend on (the) religious make-up of the area in which the media house is located, but there’s no discrimination in this regard.” Another pointed out, however, that this is not always the case, “On NTV, for example, only 3 out of 50 employees are Muslim, and there are no programmes for Muslims.” With regards to disability, “employment on the radio depends on talent, so it is not an issue of physical ability. At Radio Unity, one of best newsreaders is crippled.” For some media, the employment of people with disabilities is not stated explicitly as a requirement by law. “We recruit based on talent and references.” 76 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER UGANDA 2016